Long Term Plan 2018-2028

The Long Term Plan is Council's key strategic document, prepared every three years in consultation with the community.

What is the Long Term Plan?

The Long Term Plan (LTP) is Council’s key strategic document. It sets out our priorities for the next 10 years, including what we will do, how much it will cost and how we will fund it. It is reviewed every three years to make sure it is still relevant and accurate. In the intervening years, an Annual Plan is developed to reflect any changes to the LTP that are required for the year ahead.

Rejuvenating our city

In 2012 we presented a vision for our city – to be a great place to live, work and play.

Following this Council and community agreed that in order to make this happen big investment was needed to promote the growth, development and rejuvenation of our city. Four key overlapping strategies were developed that identify the needs of our community over the next two to three decades. The strategies are: Urban Growth, Leisure and Wellbeing, Infrastructure, and Environmental Sustainability.

Long Term Plan 2018-2028

What you thought of the plan - consultation

Before adopting the LTP, we consulted with the community to ask their thoughts on what we plan to do over the next 10 years.

We knew that over the past few years that we had consulted on the significant projects that make up our rejuvenation story. To date the feedback we received suggested we were on the right track and should keep going. With this in mind we had less to ask about for the 2018-2028 LTP, and plenty to do.

We know our city is changing and that people may have different views on the projects we have planned. We checked in again with the community to confirm there was on-going support for our rejuvenation journey as our significant topic of consultation.

We also consulted on:

a proposed new policy, 'Rates Postponement Policy for Residential Ratepayers aged 65 years and over'

changes to two existing rating policies, 'Hutt City Development Contribution and Rates Remission Policy' and 'Rates Remissions for Community, Sporting and Other Organisations'.

Consultation process

Consultation ran from 3 April to 3 May 2018. The LTP Consultation Document (PDF 3.5MB) was available from: our website, Council's main building, libraries, community hubs, Council facilities and at public information events.

Council staff were available at our facilities (museums, galleries, pools etc.) to help people make online submissions if required.

During this time we received nearly 200 submissions, with 94 people and groups taking the opportunity to present to Councillors on 16 and 17 May 2018. Submissions covered a range of topics including resilience and sustainability, paying the living wage, Riverlink project, Sportsville and other recreational facilities, housing, homelessness, and the future of our wharves.

We also commissioned Public Voice to complete an independent survey asking the same questions using an online citizens' panel.

Changes to the proposed LTP

Overall you agreed with what we were proposing. As a result of community feedback, we agreed on a number of changes to the proposed LTP. These included:

All Council staff being paid the current Living Wage rate, from 1 July 2018 (no less than $20.55 per hour)

An additional $3.6m to be spent over the next 10 years to improve reserves and playgrounds including new improvements for Naenae Park, Naenae Community Hub (landscaping), Avalon Park (toilets) and for general park and playground maintenance. $1.15m of this will be spent in 2018/19

$105,000 in 2018-19 for the development of a strategy to tackle homelessness in Lower Hutt

$200,000 to work with other councils in the region to map and identify places, communities and assets threatened by sea level rise, to develop response options and to begin engagement with Lower Hutt communities on the threat of climate change

$104,200 in 2018-19 to upgrade the city’s existing 150 parking meters to ‘pay by plate’ technology, which will eliminate the current paper ticketing. This upfront cost will be offset by savings of $30,600 per annum

Bringing forward $2m of existing budget for a facility for Hutt Valley GymSports at Fraser Park from 2023-24 to 2019-20

Working with consultants on solutions that would see the existing Petone Wharf have another 15 years of life with an additional commitment of $8m for refurbishment of Petone Wharf in 2033-34

Changes to the three rating policies were made:

The Hutt City Development Contribution and Rates Remission Policy, which has been successful in stimulating development activity in the city, will finish at the end of 2018

Eligible sports and community groups have had their general rates reduced by 50%

Over 65s will have an option to postpone the payment of their rates, subject to conditions and criteria